


The Shield is Yours

by DanielleMoon



Category: Bucky Barnes - Fandom, Captain America (Movies), Evanstan - Fandom, Steve Rogers - Fandom, Steve Rogers/Bucky Buchanan, SteveBucky - Fandom, Stucky - Fandom, steve/bucky - Fandom
Genre: Bucky Barnes - Freeform, Captain America - Freeform, Captain America Infinity War, Gen, M/M, Steve Rogers/Bucky Buchanan - Freeform, Stucky - Freeform, steve rogers - Freeform, steve/bucky - Freeform, stevebucky - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-11-19 14:46:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11315604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanielleMoon/pseuds/DanielleMoon
Summary: Amidst the chaos happening in the war with Thanos, Bucky was faced with another kind of war as he held on to Steve's dying body inside the abandoned building he dragged him into. He couldn't lose Steve again. Not this time.





	The Shield is Yours

Amidst the chaos happening in the war with Thanos, Bucky was faced with another kind of war as he held on to Steve's dying body inside the abandoned building he dragged him into.

"NOOOOO!" 

The sound of Bucky's scream echoed in Steve's brain as he gasped for air. His best friend, the man he loved with all of his heart, the man he'd move mountains for, the main he would choose over anyone - was carrying his upper body in his trembling arms. 

"You did..." Steve breathed deeply in between words. "...so good today, Bucky."

Bucky shook his head, tears pouring down his face. "It's over. I can't do anything now."

"You c-can," Steve murmured. His hands, still trembling in pain, reached up to Bucky's face to touch it one last time. "It's not about me anymore."

"We need to get you out of here," Bucky swallowed, nodding his head in determination. "You need medication and - 

Steve, still in tremendous pain, managed to force a small smile.  
"Hey, hey," he chuckled. "I can't make it. I can feel it, in my s-spine, the wound..."

"Sshh," Bucky buried his forehead against Steve's. 

"It was all w-worth it," Steve said. "Everything I've been through since that time I thought I lost you, fighting some of my best friends, dividing the Avengers - everything was worth it. I had to get you back, Bucky."

Bucky looked at Steve in frustration. "For someone who's fighting for air, you sure do talk a lot."

"Some things h-have to be said," Steve smiled weakly. 

"I can't do this without you, Steve," Bucky's face dropped in defeat. 

Steve held on to Bucky's hand. "You've done a lot of things without me, Bucky. I believe in you."

The blood coming out of Steve's mouth was getting smudged against Bucky's chest. His face, getting paler by the minute. 

Bucky couldn't stand the sight of his soulmate, his best friend, his other half, struggling to keep it together just to say these last words to him. 

Steve's gaze shifted to his shield, which was lying on the ground next to them. "Take it," he whispered. 

"No..." Bucky shook his head. 

"Take it," Steve repeated stubbornly. "N-nobody else deserves to take it but you."

Bucky clenched his fist around Steve's mask, which he took off earlier. He knew nobody else could be like Steve. Nobody else could take the place of Captain America. Nobody had the kind of compassion and determination that he possessed. 

I'm not worthy, Bucky thought to himself. 

"You're more valuable than you think you are, Bucky," Steve breathed out deeply. A single tear rolled down to the side of his face as he spoke those words. "You're stronger than you say you are, kinder than the world thinks you are..."

Bucky gritted his teeth. His worst nightmare was coming to life right in front of his eyes - in the middle of a war he doesn't think he could help conquer. 

"Take it," Steve repeated for the last time. "Take the shield."

Bucky slowly nodded, leaning his forehead against Steve's chest. The sound of his loud sobs got lost in the deafening sounds of gunshots and buildings falling. 

"I love you," he finally said. "I love you, Steve. More than anything this evil world can throw at me. You're above it all."

There was no response. The slow beating of Steve's heart that pumped right next to Bucky's ear had stopped.

"S-Steve...?" Bucky looked up. 

Steve's eyes were closed, his head was dropped against Bucky's shoulder. 

Bucky's lips trembled. He was gone. Steve was gone. Was this it?  
Steve Rogers - a man who loved his people, his country, a man who would risk losing everything just to bring justice - was gone.

"I love you," Bucky whispered again, knowing that somewhere, Steve would hear him. 

He gently laid Steve's body on the ground. 

Despite his shaky knees, Bucky stood up, took a deep breath, and put on Steve's mask. With the shield in one hand, and Steve's memory and one last wish to guide him on the other side, Bucky ran out of the building and faced the war he was afraid to finish.


End file.
